Hydraulically-operated deep-well pump



Oct. 13,1925. 1 1,557,116

J. H. SUTER HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED DEEP WELL PUMP Filod M. 11, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fly. 2

III!" IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

BY 77W W 77 Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Application filed. February 11, 1925. Serial m. 8,428.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. SUTER, a citizen of the United States, resident of Los An eles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of alifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Hydraulically-Operated Deep-Well Pump, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a pump unit for deep wells wherein the motive power 1s transmitted to the pump piston by hydraulic means. In pumping deep wells, such as 011 wells, a reciprocating pump is commonly used wherein mechanical motion is transmitted to the piston by means of a sucker rod. In such constructions, because of the great length of the sucker rod required, various difliculties are met with. Among these are stretching of the rod at each stroke, pullin apart of the rod, excessive wear on the ro in rubbing against the casin weight of the parts to be moved, and buc (1mg. of the rod. These factors result in decreasing efliciency and breakage of parts. The present invention has for its object the rvision of a pump of the character described which is of simplified structure and especially adapted for pumping oils.

These objects together with other objects and corresponding accomplishments are obtained by means of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

"Figs. 1 and 1 are viewsin axial section of the upper and lower ends of the pump; Fig. 2 is an axial section as seen on the line 2 -2 of Figs. 1 and 1"; Fig. 3 is a section as seen on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1*; Fig. 4 is a section as seen on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1"; and Fig. 5 is a section as seen on the line 55 of Fig. 1? on an enlarged scale.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, indicates a valved pump piston, the valve being at the top of the piston and indicated generally by 11. At the bottom of the piston is a crown 12 having openings communicating with the bore of the piston indicated by 13. This construction provides for passing of fluid through the piston. The crown provides for attachment thereto of a rod 14. Piston 10 reciprocates in a pump barrel 15. Secured to the barrel 15 is an adapter head 16. The head is internally threaded to receive the. oil tubing 17. A port is provided in the head for communicationwith the bore of the pump barrel pumped will pass through the and into the pump barrel above the piston.

the pump and a valve 18 controls the port. At one side of the head is a port 19 registering with a passage 20 paralleling the pump barrel and formed as a part of the barrel body. On the down stroke, liquid being pump piston At the lower end of the pump barrel is the hydraulic motor barrel comprising a cylinder 23. At one side thereof is a passage 24 communicating with and forming an extension of passage-22. There is also a passage 25 paralleling the motor cylinder and registermg with passage 20 to form a contmuation thereof. At the top of the motor barrel is a block 26 having a pilot valve therein later described. At the bottom of the motor barrel is a block 27 having therein a pilot valve. Block 27 has a cylmdrical bore 28 which communicates through the lower head withthe outside of the casing through a passage 29. A passage 30 also communicates with the bore and extends through the lower head entering passage 25. A passage 31 in the head communicates with a piston valve bore 32, and a port 33 communicates with the valve bore 32. The pilot valve 34 is of the plunger or piston type being reduced in diameter at the center to provide an annular space and havmg an. operating pin 35 at the end thereof slidably extending through the block. A compression spring 36 mounted below the valve tends to hold the latter in its outer position with the'pin 35 projected into the motor cylinder bore. The piston valve bore 32 and motor cylinder communicate at the lower end through a port 37. A port 38 connects the valve bore 32 with the outside of the motor barrel body. A passage and port 39 connects the piston valve bore 32 and passage 25. Mounted in the valve casing is a piston valve 40 controlling the intake and discharge of motive fluids to the lower portion of the motor cylinder. A

valve rod 41 connects the piston valve 40' with a similar valve 42 disposed in a valve chamber at the upper end thereof. A spring 43 is coiled about the valve rod 41 and cylinder is a (piston 48 which is secured to the end of ro 14. A casing coupling 49 is provided with a seat 50 which is tapered and designed to support the pump unit. As the motive fluid is supplied to the motor through the space between the pump tubing and the well casin 51, the motor barrel body should be pac ed at its seat, and for this purpose a packing 52 is provided. The

entire apparatus can be lowered into the well casing until it seats and can be removed by pullin the same from the casing.

In the operation of the device, a liquid such as water is supplied to the annular space between the well casing and pump unit under pressure by any suitable means. This liquid'passes downwardly and enters the motor cylinder by way of either port 38 or port 44. Assume that the ports are in v, the position shown in the drawing. Water will pass through port 37 into the motor pis-" ton cylinder below piston 48, pressin upon the lower side of the piston and ten ing to move it upwardly. The motor cylinder above piston 48 is in communication with the discharge passage 25 by way of port s leading to the valve cylinder and port 46 communicating with the passage 25. By reason of the difference in pressure upon the opposite sides of the piston, the latter is moved upwardly, until the piston engages the pin on pilot valve 47 Pilot valve 47 is moved upwardly so as to uncover a high pressure port in its side wall and the latter communicates with the space above the head of valve 42. Th operation of the pilot valve will be better understood by reason of the description of the operation of the lower pilot valve which follows later. The-pressure upon the upper side of valve piston 42 moves the latter downwardly closing port 46 leading to the discharge and placing port 45 incommunication with ort44 opening to the outsideof the barrel ody and thereby admittin water under pressure from the outside to t e motor cylinder above is'ton 48. Piston 48 then moves downwardly as the motor cylinder below the piston is in communication with the discharge. Valve 40 is in its lower position wherein port 38 leading to the high pressure water is closed from port 37, and the latter is in communication by way ofthe piston cylinder with port 39 leading to passage 25 and the discharge. When the piston reaches the lower end of 1ts travel, it engages the pin on the pilot valve 34 and moves the latter downwardly. This places port 29 communicatmg with the outside of the motor barrel body in communicationwith port 33 and thereby high pressure water is supplied to the valve piston moving the latter u wardly. The high pressure water entering the lower valve cylinder below thevalve moves the latter upwardly into the position shown in Figure 1" and piston 48 is moved to its upper position. It will be noted that when the piston valve 40 is in its upper. position, and pilot valve 34 is in its upper position as 80 shown in the figures, the space in the lower valve cylinder below the valve is in communication through duct 31 and ort 30 with the water discharge. Thus, t ereis no pressure against which the valve must operate in being moved. There is a similar connection above the upper valve 42 and the water discharge.

At each stroke of the motor piston, water is discharged into the passageway 25. This water passes upwardly through passage 20 and port 19 to a point beyond valve 18 and mingles with the oil being pumped. The water and oil may be separated at the surface in devices well known in the art and 95 which are broadly stratifying chambers. Due to the slow eed of flow and the size of the port throng which the water passes in mingling with the oil, the latter is not emulsified. It will be noted that there is a hydrostatic balance upon the motor piston due to the colunm of liquid in the pump tubing and in the casing. This balance is not an exactbalance due to the difi'erence in density of the oil and water but is an im-.

portant factor in the eflicieney of the pump.

What I claim is: v

1. In a deep well, an insertable pumping unit disposed therein comprising a fluid motor and a pump direct connected thereto, a passage for the motive fluid extending down the well hole to said motor, valve mechanism, at said motor for controlling the supply of motive fluid thereto and the discharge of motive fluid therefrom, a passage for th'liq'uid being pumped, the discharge of said motor being connected to the passage for liquid being pumped whereby the. liquid being pumped and the fluid being discharged from said motor mingle and are raised together.

2. In a deep well, the combination of a well casing having an annular internal seat therein, a pump unit comprising a body adapted to be inserted in said casing and to rest upon said seat at theilower end so as to provide a closure intermediate the ends of said casing, said body comprising a pump and motor therefore, a single tube extending into said casing to said unit to form two independent passages nesting within one another, the outer passage communicating with said motor for the supply of motive fluid thereto, and the inner passage serving to conduct the exhaust motive fluids and the fluid be ing elevated by said pump.

3. In a deep well, the combination of a well casing having an annular internal seat therein, a pump unit comprising a body adapted to be inserted in said casing and to rest upon said seat at the lower end so as to form a closure intermediate the ends of said casing, said body comprising an aligned pump and motor direct connected, a single tube extending in said casing to said unit to form two independent passages one nesting within the other, one of said passages communicating with said motor for the supply of motive fluid, and the other of said passages serving to conduct the exhaust motive fluid and the liquid being pumped.

4-. The combination in a deep well having a well casing of a pumping unit seated therein adjacent the bottom, pump tubing for the liquid being pumped extending into said casing whereby an annular intake passage for motive fluid is formed extending down the well hole; said pumping unit comprising a pump, a fluid motor for operating said pump, the intake means for said motor being connected to said intake passage, the discharge of said pump being connected to said pump tubing, the discharge of said motor being connected to said pump tubing, the discharge of said motor being connected to the passage for liquid being pumped whereby the liquid being pumped and the fluid discharged from said motor mingle and are raised together.

5. A pumping unit comprising a body adapted to be inserted in a well casing, said body comprising aligned motor and pump cylinders, passages for motive fluid opening to the outside of said body, a passage for fluid discharged from said motor connected to the discharge of said pump, an intake passage for liquid to be pumped leading to said motor cylinder and communicating with said pump cylinder; and direct connected pistons for said cylinders.

6. A pumping unit comprising a body adapted to be inserted in a well casing, said body comprising aligned motor and pump cylinders, a discharge for said pump at the pump end of said body and'provided with means for detachably connecting pump tubing thereto, passages for motive fluid, a passage for the fluid discharged from said motor connected to the discharge of said pump, an intake passage for liquid to be pumped leading to said motor cylinder and communicating with said pump cylinder, and direct connected pistons for said cylinders. a

7 A pump unit comprising a body adapt-- ed to be inserted in a well casing, said body comprising aligned pump and motor cylinders, passages for motive fluid opening from said motor cylinder to the outside of said body, an intake passage for liquid to be pumped leading to said motor cylinder and connected to said pump cylinder, a discharge for said pump at the pump end of said body provided with means for detachably connecting pump tubing thereto, a passage for fluid discharged from said motor leading to said cylinders and communicating with said pump tubing and direct connected pis tons for said cylinders.

8. A pump unit comprising a body adapted to be inserted in the well casing, said body comprising aligned pump and motor cylinders, passages for motive fluid opening from said motor cylinder to the outside of said body, an intake passage for liquid to be pumped leading to said motor cylinder and connected to said pump cylinder, a discharge for said-pump at the pump end of said body provided with means for detachably connecting pump tubing thereto, a passage for fluid discharged from said motor leading to said cylinders and communicat ing with said pum tubing, a valved piston in said pum cylin er, a motor piston in said motor cylin er, said pistons being direct connected, and motor valves operated by the travel of said pistons.

9. In a deep well, the combination of a well casing having an annular internal seat therein, a pump unit comprising a body adapted to be inserted in said casing and rest upon said seat at the lower end so as to provide a peripheral space thereabout,

said body comprising aligned pump and motor cylinders, passages for motive fluid opening from said motor cylinder to said peripheral space, an intake passage for liquid to be pumped leading to said motor cylinder and connected to said pump cylinder, a discharge for said pump at the pump end of said body provided with means for detachably connecting pump tubing thereto, a passage for fluid discharged from said motor leading to said cylinders and communicating with said pump tubing, and direct connected pistons in said cylinders.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 4th day of February, 1925.

JOHN H. SUTER. 

